


Advanced Pick-Up Lines with Professor Maribelle

by buttmaster



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 15:32:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6525943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buttmaster/pseuds/buttmaster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Now, Olivia, what is this about needing to talk about something? It must be important!”</p><p>“Important? Oh, no, no! It's more that I need to… ask you something? Well, for advice. It's kind of big.”</p><p>“Big… but not important, Olivia?”</p><p>Olivia froze anew. “Not big. Just medium-sized. Just, do you remember before when you were giving me advice on talking to guys?”</p><p>Maribelle let out a peal of laughter. “Oh, yes. Flirtation 101.” She gasped. “Olivia! Are you back for an advanced course with Professor Maribelle? Darling, I'm thrilled to hear it!”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Advanced Pick-Up Lines with Professor Maribelle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mahwaha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mahwaha/gifts).



Olivia was standing outside the door. She had been for what felt like an hour, which it of course hadn't been… that would be ridiculous. It had only been half an hour. At least she wasn't pacing. The pacing stopped 20 minutes ago. Now she was standing stiff as a board and trying very hard to mentally psyche herself up.

“O-okay, Olivia. Just knock. Knock on the door. It's your best friend, Maribelle. Just Maribelle. You can do this…” And then the door opened. “Aah!”

Maribelle responded with an ‘Aah!’ of her own in response, placing a hand over her chest and trying to calm down. “Olivia, dear! I thought that was you… yet you still somehow managed to startle me…”

Olivia was still not calm, and now in a total deer in the headlights freeze. She finally spoke. “You thought it w-was me?”

“Well, you are out here mumbling to yourself right by my door, darling. It's a wonder no one has called campus safety.” She gave a bemused smile and rolled her eyes slightly.

Maribelle, of course… was in rare form. Well. Honestly it was a pretty common form, but not one that Olivia could ever get used to. Hair up in a sloppy bun with a few loose ringlets framing her face. And a t-shirt! And fuzzy pink pajama pants. And eyeglasses… not even cute ones, but thick red frames.

And now she was staring at Olivia expectantly. She was expecting something. Olivia had no idea what it could possibly be. “W-what?”

“I said… is there a reason you're standing out here mumbling to yourself?” The expectation made a lot more sense now.

“No! Well, yes!” Now Maribelle just looked confused. “I mean, I'm here for a reason, but… but the mumbling is… there’s no… real reason, really. I just need to talk to you. About… something!”

Maribelle quirked an eyebrow and then looked shocked as she realized she had her door wide open and was in clothes not meant to be seen by the public. “Well, dear, please! Do come in.” Before Olivia even could, Maribelle was grabbing her wrist and pulling her in.

Her dorm room was, of course, gorgeous as always. Lots of pink, lots of lace, lots of soft lighting and storage space and silk sheets. Her stylistic choices and aesthetic had begun taking over her roommate’s side of the room… not that Lissa minded, surely. Olivia shrugged off her long winter coat and her pink and yellow scarf, draping them both on the college provided chair that Maribelle had deemed only fit to hold coats, backpacks, textbooks, and related accouterments.

Olivia had on a bulky, form-erasing cream sweater, matching tights, and a black skirt down past the knees, which all matched very well with her tan complexion. And fur-lined boots Maribelle declared perfect.

“Now, Olivia, what is this about needing to talk about something? It must be important!”

“Important? Oh, no, no! It's more that I need to… ask you something? Well, for advice. It's kind of big.”

“Big… but not important, Olivia?”

Olivia froze anew. “Not big. Just medium-sized. Just, do you remember before when you were giving me advice on talking to guys?”

Maribelle let out a peal of laughter. “Oh, yes. Flirtation 101.” She gasped. “Olivia! Are you back for an advanced course with Professor Maribelle? Darling, I'm thrilled to hear it!”

“D-don’t be thrilled!” Olivia crossed her hands in front of her and waved them slightly. “Please, calm down. Don't make this a thing. Please!” Her bright eyes were pleading.

Maribelle just smirked. “Okay. Okay. Olivia, sweetheart. Do calm down. Now. Can you tell me anything about the… say… target of your affections?”

She eeped. She literally made an eep sound and clasped her hands to her mouth. She really did need to calm down. Maribelle was her best friend and she never acted this way around her. She took a breath. “What? Why?” The panic in her voice absolutely conveyed her newfound chill attitude.

Maribelle grabbed her hand in both of hers and clasped it. “Olivia.” Her tone was firm. “Please. Come sit. You look like you're going to collapse. I need to know who it is so that I can figure out the right lesson plan.”

Olivia felt slightly ill but sat down on the corner of her bed. She took another breath and wrung her hands in her lap. “Umm. Do you really need to know who?”

“Yes. Of course I do. Come now, darling. He can't be that bad.” She daintily covered her mouth with her palm. “Oh, no. Can he? Olivia! What manner of ruffian are you involved with?”

“There's n-no ruffian! Maribelle!” Her cheeks burned red.

“What kind of guy are we talking about? A jock? Oh, oh no. Are you going for the whole star quarterback and cheerleader dynamic? Olivia, dear, no. Please don't tell me that it's Chrom!”

Olivia was surprised. Chrom apparently came from a great family, was practically royalty on this campus, and, well, he was Lissa’s brother, and she adored Lissa. But still. “No, it's not Chrom. I-I don't even know Chrom! I'm not sure we've been formally introduced even!”

“At least tell me this. Should I pull out the book of pick-up lines?” Maribelle barely held back a laugh.

Olivia wasn't so skilled, a sparkling little laugh jumping up her throat and escaping before her mouth could close and contain it. “Gods, no! Are those space pants? Because your butt looks out of this world.” The line was revealed with zero hesitation, all nervousness gone--surely from days of practice--and they both devolved into an attack of laughter.

“Okay, so what I'm gathering then is that he thankfully has a modicum of class.”

“Yes… well… w-we’re not trying to score free drinks at a party. I'm hoping to. Well. You know.” Her voice decreased in volume more and more. “Date?”

“Sooo…” Maribelle laced her fingers together under chin hand looked more thoughtful than ever. “This dating hopeful. Tell me more. Can I get an adjective?”

“Umm… fashionable?” Olivia couldn't decide between eye contact and staring at every interesting thing in the room in two second intervals.

“Hm. So, classy and fashionable.” Maribelle let out a gasp and then went slightly pale.

Olivia was doomed.

“Olivia, my dear… he's not… a theatre major, is he? Not that there's anything wrong with theatre majors! No, not at all! It's just, darling, I don't think it will go the way that you hope.”

“No. Definitely not a theatre major. Actually, um, pre… pre-law?”

Maribelle straightened up, which was a feat for someone who already had basically impeccable posture. Olivia could see the gears turning.

Olivia was doomed.

“Is it… oh, who could it be? Who who who?” She was tapping her chin and looking at the ceiling as if it held the answer. Olivia certainly wasn't going to reveal anything. “Oh, damn it all. I'll find out when he says yes! What we need now is a practice dummy.” Back to the chin tapping.

“Practice?”

“Well, I need to see your technique so I can critique it and develop a battle plan, Olivia. Hm. I bet I could get Gaius.”

“Your boyfriend?” Olivia paled. “I can't just--just try and pick up your boyfriend!”

“Oh, pish-posh. He wouldn't mind, and it's not like he's busy. What time is it? He's probably just waking up from his post-English sugarcrash nap. I'll just call him up.” She reached for her phone but was halted by Olivia grabbing, and full on tugging, at her arm.

“It's weird! I'm not comfortable flirting with your boyfriend while you watch.” She was blushing redder and realized she was still gripping Maribelle’s arm. She blushed harder and let go.

Maribelle just grumbled. “Well, I guess Henry is out too, then.”

“Henry is definitely worse! He's even worse.” Olivia shuddered.

“Oh, come on. He should be just as bad. Better even. Gaius would tolerate the exercise but Henry would absolutely love it, the dear!”

“He's so weird!”

A gasp. “Olivia! I am shocked. Henry has had nothing but good things to say about you when I bring you up.”

Maribelle brought her up. She felt like she might faint. Or at least swoon.

“No matter. Who else could I get? Who's that freshman in my history class? Tall and nerdy. L name. Lawrence, maybe? Or maybe Vir--”

Olivia suddenly snapped. “Maribelle!”

She almost fell backward on the bed from shock, but quickly stopped talking.

“Could we just… y-you and I? You do it? I think it would work best that way. I'd be much more comfortable. You know. If it were you. I mean, you've seen me at my worst, and best. You've even seen me practice dancing. Which, well… no one else has. O-on purpose anyway! But, just, I mean… you make me feel safe and nice. And you're one of the nicest, most caring, m-most passionate people I've ever met. And I was just wondering. If you would want to--”

Maribelle gawked. “Olivia. Why do you even think you need help? You're doing so well with this, dear! You really need to believe in yourself more. But now I have to know!”

“M-Maribelle…”

“He saw you dancing? That is absolutely huge! The only person you've ever let watch your dance--”

“Maribelle, please.”

“--is--”

“Maribelle!”

“--me?” And then it hit her like a ton of bricks.

Olivia was doomed.

“Olivia.”

Olivia was staring at the floor. What a great floor. Spotless. The most spotless floor in the dorm building. She was sure of it.

“Olivia?”

Olivia had nice hands. Slender fingers. Nice nails. Hadn't bitten them in years. So nice to look at when ignoring problems.

Maribelle placed a hand on her knee. “Olivia.”

Olivia’s gaze snapped to meet Maribelle and she could feel her face burning worse than ever.

“It's me, right? You like me?”

“Well, well I-I mean. I mean. Who wouldn't? Who doesn't? You're. Well. I said… some things already.”

“Dear.”

“But, it's okay. I know you have Henry and Gaius. And that you probably never even--”

“Considered it? Truthfully? I… well, I hadn't.”

Her heart sank. “Oh.”

Maribelle bolted upright. “Olivia! No, darling, sweetheart, not like that! I just never would have thought that you... were… hmm.”

“Not straight?” Her voice was a squeak.

“Ah. Yes. Beautiful. I wasn't sure how to respond in a way that didn't make any large assumptions. But now I know. And now I'm considering.”

The considering took a century. Or three seconds.

“We’re going out to dinner. Friday, if you're free, my dear.”

“On a d-date?”

Maribelle couldn't help but laugh. It was a melodic and sweet laugh without a hint of malice. “Let's call it a pre-date. We'll see what happens, and discuss it more, and by the end of dessert, maybe it will actually be a date. I'm guessing it probably will.”

Olivia stared, processing all the information. “So, Friday.”

“Friday.”

Olivia nodded and it felt like her heart was beating hummingbird-fast. She felt like she was vibrating. She felt like dancing. She felt… “I need to go. I need to lie down. I'm feeling overwhelmed.”

Maribelle grinned a cheshire smile, unable to resist a little playful ribbing. “Goodness, dear. How are you going to handle it when I kiss you?”

Olivia was doomed. But it was fine.


End file.
